The Balancing Act

​"The Balancing Act" was made for my Honours Project and is meant to explore how video games utilise procedural rhetoric to break down and systemise lived experience. “The Balancing Act” is short and repetitive but sets the player in a constant competition with themselves to get a higher score. The objective of the game is to reach the end of the week with a high score, mirroring the real-life struggle of doing your best but never being able “to win”. 

 

By taking on multiple tasks simultaneously the game loop traps the player in a “Groundhog Day” scenario where the grocery list seems endless and the chores unending. The aim of the game’s system is to simulate the stress of juggling responsibilities as an adult and to coax the player into devising a strategy under constant pressure. The design process required observing day-to-day processes, tasks, risks and responsibilities then filtering them through the lens of design and scripting possibilities. Essentially, figuring out what actions are all-encompassing of the everyday routine and what elements contribute to ruining that equilibrium. To aid the player in their interpretation of the game I have used basic chores and activities most people can relate to (i.e. grocery shopping, cleaning, talking to friends and family etc.).

 

Additionally, the game loop itself, scoring system and constant time pressure serve to create a chaotic dynamic that requires players to shift their attention constantly in order to accomplish an impossible perfect score. Here, the visuals serve as a perpetual reminder of the unchanging attitude the game demands of the player though its passive aggressive symbolism and bold colour palette.​​